Download Acid Rain Lab ISci

Name: ________________________________________ Date: ____________________ Block: _________
Acid Rain Lab Investigation
What is Acid Rain?
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx’s) are released into the atmosphere as a result
of the burning of fossil fuels. The major contributors to the formation of these NOx and SOx
are coal burning power plants and car exhausts. These NOx’s and SO2 combine with water in
the atmosphere to form nitric acid and sulfuric acid that “rain down.”
PRE-LAB TASK: Use your iPad to research the answers to the following questions.
1. What is the normal pH of rain water? ___________________________________________________
2. What causes rain water to be the pH discovered in question 1?
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3. How does the pH of rain water (and acid rain) affect lakes, rivers, and wildlife within them?
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4. How does acid rain affect buildings and structures?
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5. How does acid rain impact forests, trees, and the environment?
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Limestone Neutralization:
The sulfuric acid reacts with the limestone in a neutralization reaction.
CaCO3(s)
LIMESTONE
+ H2SO4 -->
ACID
CaSO4(aq)
CALCIUM SULFATE
+
H2O
WATER
WASHES AWAY
+
CO2
CARBON
DIOXIDE GAS
Acid Rain Impact on Statues
LAB INVESTIGATION: Your Task
Your town council is commissioning a new statue to be displayed downtown. You and your
lab partner will conduct an experiment to investigate the effect of acid rain on various
building materials in order to make a recommendation to the town council as to the best
material to use for the statue. In your experiment, 1M HCl will simulate acid rain. [Hint: You
will need to test the pH of the acid rain before and after the building materials have been
exposed to it in order to see if there has been a chemical change.]
You have been provided with the following materials and equipment.
necessary to use all of the equipment that has been provided.
It may not be
Suggested materials:
containers with lids
graduated cylinder
1M HCl (simulates acid rain)
safety goggles
electronic balance
pH test strips
Proposed building materials (stones):
limestone chips
calcium carbonate
granite
DESIGNING AND CONDUCTING YOUR EXPERIMENT
1. In your words, state the problem you are going to investigate below. Include a clear
identification of the independent and dependent variables that will be studied.
2. Write a hypothesis (if, then, because…) for what results you expect to find below.
3. Design an experiment to solve the problem. Your experimental design (procedures)
should match the statement of the problem and should be clearly described so that
someone else could easily replicate your experiment. Include a control if appropriate
and state which variables need to be held constant.
4. Conduct your experiment; be sure to take your own notes and report the data collected.
Draw your data table in the space provided and graph your data below.
5. Conclusions: Please make a recommendation in the form of a letter to the Town Council
regarding which building material is best for the proposed statue, given the possibility of
acid rain. Include some data to support your opinion.
Follow Up Assignment:
1. What would be an appropriate control for the experiment that was conducted?
2. Two identical limestone statues of Charlie D were erected in two different locations; one is
10 miles upwind of a coal burning power plant, while the other is 10 miles downwind of
the same power plant. Which statue would deteriorate at a faster rate and why?